Houlton utility gets OK to connect to Canadian grid
Maine Public Utilities Commission approved Houlton Water Co.’s request to disconnect from Emera Maine’s power grid and instead connect to the grid maintained by New Brunswick Power.
In doing so on Tuesday, the Bangor Daily News reported, the PUC overrode objections voiced by Emera Maine and the Office of the Public Advocate that the switch to the Canadian grid would not result in the projected savings put forth by Houlton’s municipal electric utility.
Houlton Water Co. has applied for a $5.4 million loan to fund about 11 miles of new power lines connecting it to New Brunswick Power, which it expects to complete by the end of 2019, the newspaper reported.
Houlton Water said the switch would save the average residential customer about $54 in the first year, the BDN reported. Emera Maine said losing Houlton Water as a transmission customer will raise its costs and increase the average customer’s annual bill by about $13.21 in the first year.
However, the switch also allows Emera Maine to avoid about $20 million in upgrades to transmission infrastructure serving Houlton, the BDN reported.
Houlton Water Co. is a municipally owned utility providing electricity, water and wastewater services to Houlton and portions of the surrounding towns.
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